virginia tech and gun control

Amidst all of the commentary surrounding this tragic event, it seems that there is one practical thing that can be done to help reduce the risk of such things happening in the future. It is not radically changing our gun control laws, which the states rightly have considerable power over. It is simply to include checks for mental illness in the background check process. Mr. Cho did not have a criminal record, but he did have a record of mental illness that was accessible after the fact. So let's just include those sorts of records in background checks. I think that people on all sides of the gun control debate can agree on that, aside from those who believe that all background checks are unwarranted and/or against the spirit of the Second Amendment. Obviously there is the risk that people who are simply suspected or accused of having some sort of mental illness will be denied the right to own guns. However, I do not think that denying the mentally ill or those suspected of mental illness the right to own guns will severely damage the Second Amendment. I believe in the right of the people to bear arms; reasonable restrictions are by and large accepted by the vast majority of gun owners.